Red Sox Rafael Devers: 2017 Prospect Watch
By Bill Pivetz
The Red Sox designated Pablo Sandoval for assignment. With few replacement options on the roster, prospect Rafael Dever could make his way to the majors.
The Boston Red Sox have a 3.5 game lead in the American League East. The team has gotten great performances from their offense and starting rotation. However, one position has been void of success this season and that’s third base.
The Red Sox designated former free agent signee Pablo Sandoval for assignment on Friday. The de facto third baseman would be Josh Rutledge but he is on the disabled list with a concussion. Currently filling in at third is a platoon between Deven Marrero and Tzu-Wei Lin.
Those two names are the clear outliers in an otherwise solid Boston lineup. If the team is looking to improve for the playoffs, their best option is to look internal, not outside the organization. That replacement should be Rafael Devers.
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Devers crushed Double-A ball this season. In 77 games, 320 plate appearances, Devers hit .300/.369/.575 with 18 home runs, 56 RBI, 48 runs and a 55:31 K:BB ratio. He was doing so well that he was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket, as first reported by Evan Drellich of CSNNE.com.
The Red Sox also let veteran Jhonny Peralta go, making room for the Devers promotion. If he can hit as well as he did in Double-A, Devers could see himself in a Red Sox uniform sooner rather than later. Even if the Red Sox don’t need him now, he will likely be a September call-up.
If the Red Sox decide to keep Devers in Triple-A, there are some high-profile names available both in the short and long-term. Todd Frazier, Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado lead the list, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Devers is just 20 years old so he has a bright future ahead of him. His fantasy value will depend on how well he hits in Pawtucket.
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Fantasy owners looking for a third baseman for the future should keep tabs on Devers. He is unsurprisingly available in all leagues. He is already owned in 4.9 percent of ESPN leagues, up 2.1 over the last week. Owners are already jumping the gun in hopes that a call up happens soon.
With few prospects left in the minors to warrant a big free-agent bid, Devers is at the top of that list.